nada the lily-第61章

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swear　to　the　body　of　the　Lily　maid；　and　that　he　shook　the　torch　to　and

fro　as　he　held　it　over　herhe　whose　hand　was　of　the　steadiest。　All　of

this　he　kept　in　his　mind；　forgetting　nothing。



Now　it　chanced　afterwards；　on　the　homeward　march；　my　father；　that

Umslopogaas　had　cause　to　speak　angrily　to　this　man；　because　he　tried

to　rob　another　of　his　share　of　the　spoil　of　the　Halakazi。　He　spoke

sharply　to　him；　degrading　him　from　his　rank；　and　setting　another　over

him。　Also　he　took　cattle　from　the　man；　and　gave　them　to　him　whom　he

would　have　robbed。



And　thereafter；　though　he　was　justly　served；　this　man　thought　more　and

more　of　the　third　who　had　passed　through　the　arch　of　the　cave　and　had

not　returned；　and　who　seemed　to　him　to　have　a　fair　woman's　shape；　and

eyes　which　gleamed　like　those　of　a　woman。



On　that　day；　then；　Umslopogaas　began　his　march　to　the　kraal

Umgugundhlovu；　where　Dingaan　sat。　But　before　he　set　his　face

homewards；　in　the　presence　of　the　soldiers；　he　asked　Galazi　the　Wolf

if　he　would　come　back　with　him；　or　if　he　desired　to　stay　to　be　chief

of　the　Halakazi；　as　he　was　by　right　of　birth　and　war。　Then　the　Wolf

laughed；　and　answered　that　he　had　come　out　to　seek　for　vengeance；　and

not　for　the　place　of　a　chief；　also　that　there　were　few　of　the　Halakazi

people　left　over　whom　he　might　rule　if　he　wished。　Moreover；　he　added

this：　that；　like　twin　trees；　they　two　blood…brethren　had　grown　up　side

by　side　till　their　roots　were　matted　together；　and　that；　were　one　of

them　dug　up　and　planted　in　Swazi　soil；　he　feared　lest　both　should

wither；　or；　at　the　last；　that　he；　Galazi；　would　wither；　who　loved　but

one　man　and　certain　wolves。



So　Umslopogaas　said　no　more　of　the　chieftainship；　but　began　his

journey。　With　him　he　brought　a　great　number　of　cattle；　to　be　a　gift

for　Dingaan；　and　a　multitude　of　captives；　young　women　and　children；

for　he　would　appease　the　heart　of　Dingaan；　because　he　did　not　bring

her　whom　he　soughtthe　Lily；　flower　of　flowers。　Yet；　because　he　was

cautious　and　put　little　faith　in　the　kindness　of　kings；　Umslopogaas；

so　soon　as　he　reached　the　borders　of　Zululand；　sent　the　best　of　the

cattle　and　the　fairest　of　the　maids　and　children　on　to　the　kraal　of

the　People　of　the　Axe　by　the　Ghost　Mountain。　And　he　who　had　been

captain　of　the　guard　but　now　was　a　common　soldier　noticed　this　also。



Now　it　chanced　that　on　a　certain　morning　I；　Mopo；　sat　in　the　kraal

Umgugundhlovu　in　attendance　on　Dingaan。　For　still　I　waited　on　the

king；　though　he　had　spoken　no　word　to　me；　good　or　bad；　since　the

yesterday；　when　I　foretold　to　him　that　in　the　blood　of　the　white　men

whom　he　had　betrayed　grew　the　flower　of　his　own　death。　For；　my　father；

it　was　on　the　morrow　of　the　slaying　of　the　Amaboona　that　Umslopogaas

came　to　the　kraal　Umgugundhlovu。



Now　the　mind　of　Dingaan　was　heavy；　and　he　sought　something　to　lighten

it。　Presently　he　bethought　himself　of　the　white　praying　man；　who　had

come　to　the　kraal　seeking　to　teach　us　people　of　the　Zulu　to　worship

other　gods　than　the　assegai　and　the　king。　Now　this　was　a　good　man；　but

no　luck　went　with　his　teaching；　which　was　hard　to　understand；　and；

moreover；　the　indunas　did　not　like　it；　because　it　seemed　to　set　a

master　over　the　master；　and　a　king　over　the　king；　and　to　preach　of

peace　to　those　whose　trade　was　war。　Still；　Dingaan　sent　for　the　white

man　that　he　might　dispute　with　him；　for　Dingaan　thought　that　he

himself　was　the　cleverest　of　all　men。



Now　the　white　man　came；　but　his　face　was　pale；　because　of　that　which

he　had　seen　befall　the　Boers；　for　he　was　gentle　and　hated　such　sights。

The　king　bade　him　be　seated　and　spoke　to　him　saying：



〃The　other　day；　O　White　Man；　thou　toldest　me　of　a　place　of　fire

whither　those　go　after　death　who　have　done　wickedly　in　life。　Tell　me

now　of　thy　wisdom；　do　my　fathers　lie　in　that　place？〃



〃How　can　I　know；　King；〃　answered　the　prayer…doctor；　〃who　may　not　judge

of　the　deeds　of　men？　This　I　say　only：　that　those　who　murder　and　rob

and　oppress　the　innocent　and　bear　false　witness　shall　lie　in　that

place　of　fire。〃



〃It　seems　that　my　fathers　have　done　all　these　things；　and　if　they　are

in　this　place　I　would　go　there　also；　for　I　am　minded　to　be　with　my

fathers　at　the　last。　Yet　I　think　that　I　should　find　a　way　to　escape　if

ever　I　came　there。〃



〃How；　King？〃



Now　Dingaan　had　set　this　trap　for　the　prayer…doctor。　In　the　centre　of

that　open　space　where　he　had　caused　the　Boers　to　be　fallen　upon　he　had

built　up　a　great　pyre　of　woodbrushwood　beneath；　and　on　top　of　the

brushwood　logs；　and　even　whole　trees。　Perhaps；　my　father；　there　were

sixty　full　wagonloads　of　dry　wood　piled　together　there　in　the　centre

of　the　place。



〃Thou　shalt　see　with　thine　eyes；　White　Man；〃　he　answered；　and　bidding

attendants　set　fire　to　the　pile　all　round；　he　summoned　that　regiment

of　young　men　which　was　left　in　the　kraal。　Maybe　there　were　a　thousand

and　half　a　thousand　of　themnot　morethe　same　that　had　slain　the

Boers。



Now　the　fire　began　to　burn　fiercely；　and　the　regiment　filed　in　and

took　its　place　in　ranks。　By　the　time　that　all　had　come；　the　pyre　was

everywhere　a　sheet　of　raging　flame；　and；　though　we　sat　a　hundred　paces

from　it；　its　heat　was　great　when　the　wind　turned　our　way。



〃Now；　Doctor　of　Prayers；　is　thy　hot　place　hotter　than　yonder　fire？〃

said　the　king。



He　answered　that　he　did　not　know；　but　the　fire　was　certainly　hot。



〃Then　I　will　show　thee　how　I　will　come　out　of　it　if　ever　I　go　to　lie

in　such　a　fireay；　though　it　be　ten　times　as　big　and　fierce。　Ho！　my

children！〃　he　cried　to　the　soldiers；　and；　springing　up；　〃You　see

yonder　fire。　Run　swiftly　and　stamp　it　flat　with　your　feet。　Where　there

was　fire　let　there　be　blackness　and　ashes。〃



Now　the　White　Man　lifted　his　hands　and　prayed　Dingaan　not　to　do　this

thing　that　should　be　the　death　of　many；　but　the　king　bade　him　be

silent。　Then　he　turned　his　eyes　upward　and　prayed　to　his　gods。　For　a

moment　also　the　soldiers　looked　on　each　other　in　doubt；　for　the　fire

raged　furiously；　and　spouts　of　flame　shot　high　toward　the　heaven；　and

above　it　and　about　it　the　hot　air　danced。　But　their　captain　called　to

them　loudly：　〃Great　is　the　king！　Hear　the　words　of　the　king；　who

honours　you！　Yesterday　we　ate　up　the　Amaboonait　was　nothing；　they

were　unarmed。　There　is　a　foe　more　worthy　of　our　valour。　Come；　my

children；　let　us　wash　in　the　firewe　who　are　fiercer　than　the　fire！

Great　is　the　king　who　honours　us！〃



Thus　he　spoke　and　ran　forward；　and；　with　a　roar；　after　him　sprang　the

soldiers；　rank　by　rank。　They　were　brave　men　indeed；　moreover；　they

knew　that　if　death　lay　before　them　death　also　awaited　him　who　lagged

behind；　and　it　is　far　better　to　die　with　honour　than　ashamed。　On　they

went；　as　to　the　joy　of　battle；　their　captain　leading　them；　and　as　they

went　they　sang　the　Ingomo；　the　war…chant　of　the　Zulu。　Now　the　captain

neared　the　raging　fire；　we　saw　him　lift　his　shield　to　keep　off　its

heat。　Then　he　was　gonehe　had　sprung　into　the　heart　of　the　furnace；

and　but　little　of　him　was　ever　found　again。　After　him　went　the　first

company。　In　they　went；　beating　at　the　flames　with　their　ox…hide

shields；　stamping　them　out　with　their　naked　feet；　tearing　down　the

burning　logs　and　casting　them　aside。　Not　one　man　of　that　company

lived；　my　father；　they　fell　down　like　moths　which　flutter　through　a

candle；　and　where　they　fell　they　perished。　But　after　them　came　other

companies；　and　it　was　well　for　those　in　this　fight　who　were　last　to

grapple　with　the　foe。　Now　a　great　smoke　was　mixed　with　the　flame；　now

the　flame　grew　less　and　less；　and　the　smoke　more　and　more；　and　now

blackened　men；　hairless；　naked；　and　blistered；　white　with　the

scorching　of　the　fire；　staggered　out　on　the　farther　side　of　the

flames；　falling　to　earth　here　and　there。　After　them　came　others；　now

there　was　no　flame；　only　a　great　smoke　in　which　men　moved　dimly；　and

presently；　my　father；　it　was　done：　they　had　conquered　the　fire；　and

that　with　but　very　little　hurt